Jennifer's Way: My Journey with Celiac Disease--What Doctors Don't Tell You and How You Can Learn to Live Again

by Jennifer Esposito

Overview

Award-winning actress and health advocate Jennifer Esposito's guide to getting a proper diagnosis for celiac disease and other autoimmune disorders, with practical tips and healing recipes



Celiac disease afflicts as many as one in 133 Americans. Unfortunately, 83 percent of them are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, suffering through years of pain and misunderstanding. Award-winning actress Jennifer Esposito was one of them, only receiving an official diagnosis after decades of mysterious illnesses and misdiagnoses. In Jennifer's Way, Esposito shares her personal journey, from her childhood in Brooklyn and years as a young actress to her struggle for an accurate diagnosis and quest to take charge of her health. She also offers strategies for managing daily life with a chronic condition.

"[Esposito's] rags-to-riches story will keep readers turning pages...The second section of the book is a helpful guide to living with celiac disease."
—Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738218410
Publisher:	Hachette Books
Publication date:	04/28/2015
Edition description:	First Trade Paper Edition
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	326,325
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Jennifer Esposito is an award-winning actress who has appeared in numerous roles in film, TV, and on stage, from Academy Award Best Picture-winning movies to network television hits to acclaimed cable dramas. She is the owner and CEO of Jennifer's Way Bakery in New York City, and the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Jennifer's Way.

Table of Contents

Foreword Patrick Fratellone, M.D. ix

Introduction: My Story-and Your Story xi

1 My Journey

1 80 Degrees and Sunny 3

2 Hungry 13

3 Triggers 31

4 Living the Dream 42

5 Back in the Saddle 55

6 My Public Success, My Private War 67

7 One Step Forward, Two Steps Back 77

8 My Elusive Cure 90

9 Vindication 101

10 In the Psych Ward 113

11 Finding My Way 123

12 "Normal" 140

13 Ups and Downs: My New Reality 140

14 Time for Work 149

15 Jennifer's Way 167

2 Your Journey

16 What Exactly Is Celiac Disease 179

17 After Diagnosis: What Next? 196

18 Relearning How to Eat 211

19 The Invisible Disease 223

20 Finding Your Way 238

Recipes 255

Acknowledgments 271

Resources 273

Editorial Reviews

"A helpful guide for living with Celiac disease, with tips on eating out and dating, as well as appealing recipes...Her story will no doubt appeal to her fans and others with chronic health issues."
—Publishers Weekly

"This is a story of hope...This book is a page turner. Esposito is an inspiration."—Living Without's Gluten Free & More

"This is award-winning actress Jennifer Esposito's story of decades of ill health and emotional hardships, and her long search to find a reason for them...this is the story of how she took control and became a health advocate for herself and others. Part one shares her journey. In part two, Your Journey, she offers guidance, advice, recipes, and more to help you find your way."
—Taste for Life

"This book is frank, it's raw, compelling, and ultimately uplifting... Jennifer's Way is a page-turner of medical self-discovery that will give many people a new appreciation of Celiac disease."—Allergic Living

"This book was so captivating and kept me interested throughout. As I told her, I was on pins and needles during the chapter titled In the Psych Ward. I couldn't believe that doctors and medical professionals could be so rude to put her through what she went through during that time (and many others throughout her journey). In Jennifer's Way, you get a glimpse of what it is like for so many living with Celiac disease... I was very impressed with Jennifer's willingness to open up and share her story with millions. I would recommend that those with Celiac disease as well as loved ones to those living with Celiac disease read this book. Eyes will be opened and understand built as you tearfully read one woman's Celiac journey."—GlutenFreeFrenzy.com

From the Publisher

05/05/2014
In this memoir, Esposito recounts her struggle with crippling health problems and her experience being diagnosed with celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder that makes her allergic to gluten) at age 35. It’s hard to sustain sympathy for the actress-turned-gluten-free-bakery owner, who spends much of the book railing about how others have doubted, ignored, and misunderstood her condition. However, her rags-to-riches story will keep readers turning pages. Esposito grew up on Staten Island and moved to Manhattan, where she waitressed while taking acting classes. Eventually she was discovered and her career took off, with roles in movies like Crash, as well as television shows like Spin City and Samantha Who? The second section of the book is a helpful guide for living with celiac disease, with tips on eating out and dating, as well as appealing recipes. As Esposito writes, “It takes a village of celiacs to help anyone learn how to thrive with this illness.” Her story will no doubt appeal to her fans and others with chronic health issues, though her advice to fellow celiac sufferers (rotation dieting, sprouting grains, juicing) may seem daunting for those on a restricted budget. Agent: Kari Stuart, ICM. (May)

Publishers Weekly